Cost: Admission is free; entrance to the park is $5 per vehicle to park

Online: To see a list of the teams and other information, visit robotevents.com.

Kyle Chen carefully gripped a controller he used to maneuver his robot called the Plastic Dragon.

The Nohl Canyon Elementary School sixth-grader guided the robot's arm as it scooped up a series of balls into a clear box. Throughout, Kyle's teammate, Ashling Carr, whispered and pointed directions.

The team nervously raced against the clock, driving the Dragon around a series of obstacles, trying to collect as many balls into the box.

After the buzzer sounded, both students exhaled a huge breath of relief.

“I'm happy with how we did,” Kyle said. “But we need to work harder. I think we can improve.”

They were among 200 elementary and middle school students from across Orange Unified School District who gathered Friday at Yorba Academy of the Arts for a robotics scrimmage.

The students used the scrimmage as a final practice session before they face off Sunday in the Orange County VEX IQ Robotics Competition at Irvine Regional Park, an event that features 36 teams from across the region.

The event allows students ages 8 to 14 to build robots that compete against those of other students in a series of challenges. A goal of the competition is to encourage more children to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM.

“The competition helps students learn concepts like engineering and computer programming for kids,” said Yorba Academy of the Arts science teacher Jami Cabase, who helped organize the scrimmage. “Students are learning while they're having fun.”

Students work in small teams building the robots from VEX kits. They use C++ programming language to map out controls and movements of the robots, which are about 1 or 2 feet long and a foot wide. Teams often spend 20 to 30 hours building and programming the robots.

“Engineers who built and drive the Mars Rover used many of the same principles that students at this competition use,” Cabase said.

Students used Friday's scrimmage as simulated competitions. Some used the scrimmage to work out a few kinks.

Throughout the scrimmage, friends, parents and classmates cheered as teams faced off. Students screamed, laughed and gave hugs and high-fives to each other when their robots successfully completed tasks.

“These competitions feel a lot like sporting events,” said Mike Gonzales, a parent of a competitor from Yorba. “As parents, we're really nervous watching. But the kids are having a great time.”

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